World’s most expensive Xbox controller covered with solid GOLD costs £80,000

AN XBOX controller made using solid gold has been crafted by a bonkers YouTube star.

Influencer Linus Sebastian says the joypad was built from 1.5kg (3.3lb) of 18-karat gold and cost $87,000 (£80,000) to make.

He described the bling gizmo, assembled with the help of Canadian firm Expert Casting, as the “most expensive Xbox controller in the world”.

The contraption was showcased in a pair of videos posted to Linus’ YouTube channel – Linus Tech Tips – this week.

“It’s so heavy!” Linus told his 13million subscribers in one video, after handling the controller for the first time.

The build effectively involved swapping out the plastic casing from a standard Xbox wireless controller with solid gold replacements.

Each piece of the casing had to be moulded individually before they were attached to the final product piece by piece.

All in all, it was a pretty expensive project for Linus, who says he has stretched out the “making of” coverage into three videos to help pay for it.

“I just gotta be honest with you guys… this was very expensive to make,” he said.

As it’s a custom controller, the gadget will obviously not go on sale to the general public. You can buy gold-plated controllers from some luxury retailers, though.

Microsoft launched two new consoles on November 10: The Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S.

The Series X costs £449/$499 while the Series S – which is less powerful and doesn’t come with a disc tray – is priced at £249/$299.

They’re up against Sony’s PlayStation 5, which also hit shelves in November.

The full PS5 costs £449/$499, while a Digital Edition without a disc tray is priced at £359/$399.

The PS5 launched with major exclusive games like Spider-Man Miles Morales and a revamped version of Dark Souls for players to enjoy.

Xbox gamers, on the other hand, have a new Halo title to look forward to later this year.

All four consoles have been sold out around the world, with stock seesawing in and out of availability over the past few weeks.

PlayStation boss Jim Ryan recently offered hope to gamers who wanted a console.

Speaking to the Financial Times, Ryan admitted that stock levels would climb steadily month-on-month.

He added that from July onwards, it will be much easier to get a PS5.

Experts predict that stock of the new Xbox consoles will also rise around this time.

“It will get better every month throughout 2021,” Ryan explained.

“The pace of the improvement in the supply chain will gather through the course of the year.

“So by the time we get to the second half of [2021], you’re going to be seeing really decent numbers indeed.”

In other news, Trending In The News’s favourite alternative to a games console is the Oculus Quest 2 VR headset.

Grab a VR headset and you’ll be able to play the legendary Beat Saber – like Guitar Hero, but with lightsabers.

And Dell’s Alienware R10 Ryzen Edition is a gaming PC powerhouse that crushes both the new consoles.